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Lundu Nipahu

Folklore from North Sumatra

ONCE upon a time, there was a prince of a kingdom. His name was Lundu Nipahu. His father, the king, had already planned Lundu Nipahu to be the next king. Unfortunately, the king’s younger brother also wanted to be the next king. He did a terrible thing. He killed the king. Before he died, the king gave Lundu Nipahu a ring. He asked Lundu Nipahu to run away and save himself.

Lundu Nipahu later hid in a jungle. While Lundu Nipahu was resting under a big tree, a snake passed by. The snake had a frog in his mouth. The frog was screaming in pain. Lundu Nipahu was very sad to see that. He took a piece of wood then pressed it to the snake’s head. He pressed it very hard and ﬁnally the frog was able to escape.

After the frog ran away, the snake looked at Lundu Nipahu. He was angry. Lundu Nipahu thought the snake would attack him. Amazingly, the snake was able to talk!

“Why did you do that? The frog is my lunch!?”

“I’m sorry. My father said I have to help anyone, humans or animals that need a help. I saw the frog was in pain,” said Lundu Nipahu.

“Because you have made my lunch gone, you have to replace it. Give me some ﬂ esh in your leg.

Otherwise I will bite you!?” said the snake.

Lundu Nipahu was helpless. He took his knife and then cut his leg. He was bleeding. The snake gave him some leaves. He asked Lundu Nipahu to put the leaves on the wounds. Amazingly the bleeding stopped, and the leg was cured and back to normal.

“You are a nice kid. You obey your parents and love to help others. These are special leaves.

"You can heal any illness with these leaves,” said the snake.

Lundu Nipahu thanked the snake. He then continued his journey. He kept on walking until he ﬁnally arrived in another kingdom. There he heard that the princess was ill. She was very weak and always stayed in her bed. Lundu Nipahu wanted to heal the princess. When he arrived at the palace, he told the king that he wanted to heal the princess. The king gave him the permission.

Lundu Nipahu put the leaves on the princess’s forehead. Amazingly, the princess was healed. She was able to walk! The king was happy. He asked Lundu Nipahu to marry his daughter. After se veral years lived in the pa lace, Lundu Nipahu wanted to go home. The king agreed. He gave Lundu Nipahu a big ship and some soldiers. Lundu Nipahu was ready to attack his uncle.

While the ship was sailing, accidentally Lundu Nipahu’s ring fell down to the river. Lundu Nipahu was sad. The ring was the proof that he was the prince of the kingdom. While he was thinking of the ring, a frog jumped out of the river. It was the frog he helped! The frog opened his mouth. The ring was inside his mouth! Lundu Nipahu was very happy. He continued his mission.

Finally he arrived at home, the palace. He immediately looked for his uncle. He was not around. After that Lundu Nipahu went to his uncle’s room. He was surprised. His uncle was dead. Next to him, there was a snake. It was the snake that gave him the special leaves.

Lundu Nipahu made an announcement. He was the prince. And he showed them his father’s ring. Everybody believed him. After all, they hated his uncle very much. He was a terrible king. Lundu Nipahu then became the king. He and his wife lived happily.***